Shadows
by SammyMcSamSam
Summary: Danger lurks...five strange cats invade the clans and threaten to attack. What is their reason for coming? Is it really what they say? The hostility between Stormclan and Duskclan grows...Will four young cats from the clans stop them, or will they fail?
1. Prologue

Prologue

A young, gray she-cat walked over to a group of cats with stars in their pelts. A black tom, whose fur was bristling with anger, stormed over to her.

"What did you do?" He demanded. "You weren't suppoed to stop that kit from dying. It's the way of life."

The she-cat dipped her head, "I am sorry, Ashstar, but I had to. She's needed in Stormclan. You may not have seen it, but I have."

Ashstar's fur began to lie flat. "She's the smallest cat I've ever seen. She's weak too, _and_ blind. She'll never be strong enough to become a warrior." He paused, "How did you save her?"

The gray she-cat shrugged. "I don't know. I gave up my life to save my brother's. I guess I was granted to do this because of that. He-" She cut off and whipped around when she heard rustling in the bushes.

A dark gray tom with white feet had been listening to their conversation. "I am grateful for what you did, Shadepaw," He mewed. "I was brought up in our mother's clan, Dustclan, so I never treated you right, and I'm sorry. I wish I had known we were siblings, and I'm sorry you never got to become a full medicine cat. I'll never be able to repay you."

Shadepaw pushed her nose into his shoulder fur. "There was nothing you could have done," She murmured. "It would have been worse if I told you. Our Clans came before our kin. I forgive you, Darkpelt." She pressed her flank to her brother's. "I will look after Rainkit and give her strength," She mewed, turning to Ashstar. "Her clan will accept her."

Ashstar nodded, "Good luck."

Shadepaw touched noses with Darkpelt before departing.

Rainkit fell asleep next to her brothers and began to dream. Only in her dreams could she see what was around her, but, this time, she was in darkness. She looked ahead and saw a strange cat walking towards her. She was light gray and had stars in her pelt. "Wh-who are you?" She mewed. "Why do you have stars in your fur?"

Shadepaw purred, "I am Shadepaw of Starclan." Rainkit's eyes widened. "I trained as a Stormclan medicine cat apprentice, but I died saving my brother's life before I could finish my training."

"Why are you here?" Rainkit asked.

"I am here to help you show your clan that you are stronger than they think," Shadepaw mewed. "You are needed." She saw the kit's uncertainty. "Don't worry, I'll be with you all the time. No one will ever see me. They didn't when I saved you from dying on your way into this world." Rainkit's eyes grew wider.

She looked up at the Starclan cat. "Thank you, but how will I become a warrior is I'm blind and am weaker than any other kit?"

"You'll get stronger," Shadepaw assured her. "And don't worry about being blind. We'll work around that. You don't need to see to hunt and fight. Only working paws. You will have struggles, but you'll show your clan what you're capable of. Now, come. I will help you get stronger."

Rainkit hesitated but walked over to her, and they touched noses. "I will never leave you," Shadepaw whispered.

**5 moons later**

A black tom walked to the edge of a pool of water. "Shadepaw, how is Rainpaw?" He asked a small, gray she-cat.

Shadepaw dipped her head respectively. "Ashstar. She's doing fine. Her brothers protect her well, but Silverstar won't agree that she should become a warrior. They're talking about having her become Darkflower's apprentice. It is something for Rainpaw to do, but it's not wise if she isn't supposed to be a medicine cat. Besides, Rainpaw has declined the offer, so she's now living in the elders' den."

"What do you think?" Ashstar mewed.

Shadepaw shook her head, "It's not clear, but she will need to know a lot about herbs in her future. I guess it couldn't hurt. She shouldn't be reduced to an elder. Not this soon. She'll find out soon enough if it isn't her calling."

Ashstar nodded. "We should know her calling, but, yes, it isn't clear enough." He sighed. "You have playfully fought with her in her dreams ever since you saved her from that terrible fate. Now, you must teach her your fighting skills. In time, she will get strong, and, hopefully with the new battle training you will have with her, she will be able to become a warrior."

"She will," Shadepaw mewed firmly. "The day draws nearer each day. Soon the four clan techniques will be needed for the trouble ahead."

Ashstar nodded. "If they can work together, there will be no blood shed, unless they realize too late. You mustn't tell Rainpaw anything. She doesn't need to know just yet."

The she-cat nodded. "I will train her and help her realize that Riverclan needs her, no matter what her disabilities."

"You will tell her when the time is right," Ashstar mewed. "The three other chosen cats are needed to work together, along with her, for peace to come."

Shadepaw's eyes sparkled. "If they work together on their journey, then they _can't_ fail us."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A small, tortoishell shaded shadow crept through the bushes, gaining on her prey. She licked her lips as she imagined her teeth sinking into its scruffy, brown fur. Her claws dug into the soft and moist ground as she silently crouched behind the creature. It had no idea of her presence. She pounced on top of it and, and, before it could detect anything, she killed it with one swift bite. She yowled at her triumph.

"Rainpaw!" An angry, annoyed voice snapped her out of her dream. When she opened her eyes, it instantly became dark. She sighed and sat up to groom herself. Moss was sticking to her all over the place.

"Why'd you have to wake me up, Darkflower?" Rainpaw complained. "I was having the most wonderful dream. I was hunting, and I caught a mouse! Before that, I'd caught a whole bunch of fish!" She wrapped her tail around her paws. She loved fish. The water too.

The smell of herbs filled her mouth as she climbed up from the dip of her den to the sunbathing spot next to the dead tree. The whole den was on a mini island in the river that surrounds the whole camp; the den was a sandy hill with a dead tree in the middle. The dead roots were a tangled mess underneath the hill. The hill crumbled where the roots were, allowing access to herb storing. Darkflower's den was in between the dead tree and a long, thick branch that curved itself down to the edge of the hill on the right.

On the other side of the tree was a tiny dip where Rainpaw or Darkflower liked to sunbath. Past that was a shallow dip in the earth next to the hill, where Rainpaw slept. Her nest was hidden by moss, leaves, and roots, so she had to climb up the roots and jump down the left side of the hill to get to it. The sandy beach area in the front facing the rest of the camp was where the sick cats slept; stepping stones lined up, nearly touching each other, from the medicine cat den to the camp.

Rainpaw had been Darkflower's apprentice for nearly half a moon now, though she hadn't wanted to become a medicine cat, but because of her smallness, she was about half the size of an apprentice, weakness, and, oh yeah, her blindness, she couldn't train to become a warrior.

Rainpaw had always wanted to become a warrior, but she couldn't. She took the role of the medicine cat apprentice because it was better than living in the elders' den. Being a medicine cat gave her something to be proud of since she was actually helpful to the clan. Not that the elders weren't; they had given the clan moons of service as warriors.

"When are you going to forget about hunting and fighting and start acting like a medicine cat?" Darkflower asked impatiently. She knew how much Rainpaw had wanted to be a warrior, but it was stolen from her. "I know you're meant to be a medicine cat. I can tell from the way you deal with problems and the way you treat others with such gentleness and care."

Rainpaw looked at her paws, though she couldn't see them. "I just can't help it. How are you sure I'm meant to be a medicine cat? I only had one dream—" Shadepaw pressed her flank against hers. She shook her off. It didn't mean anything. No matter what Shadepaw said or Darkflower said, she was meant for something different. Something more. "And I haven't had another since!" She flicked her tail, frustrated.

"Rainpaw, do you honestly think medicine cats have dreams from Starclan every night?" Darkflower asked as she laid her tail tip gently on her apprentice's shoulder. "Give it time. You'll see. You'll see tonight at the Moonlog when you meet the other apprentices. They've had some doubts too, I'm sure. Now, eat these traveling herbs. We won't be allowed to eat on the journey to the Moonlog." She pushed something towards Rainpaw. "After you're done, we have a little while until we have to leave, so you can go say good-bye to your littermates, but _stay in camp_."

Rainpaw bent down and licked up the herbs. She was excited to go to the Moonlog, but also anxious to meet the other medicine cats. _What if they don't approve of me?_ She shook the thought away and hastily climbed down the roots of the dead tree and ran across the stepping stones as fast as she could. She normally would have swam across, but Darkflower had told her before never to swim across when she was in a hurry because, knowing her, she would just create a mess in the beautiful sandy camp. They all loved the water and practically lived in it, but they also loved the soft feel of the sand, which was the majority of their camp. As soon as she reached the other side, she stuck her nose in the air and knew her brothers, Loudpaw and Goldenpaw, were play fighting with Webpaw, a slightly older she-cat, who was once her denmate in the nursery, on a sandy area near a large rock.

Rainpaw passed the nursery, which didn't have any queens in it anymore. This was all do to the rivalry between Rainpaw's clan, Stormclan, and Dustclan. It happened when Rainpaw and her brothers were only five moons old. The two clans had been arguing about each other crossing the borders. It got really heated up and violent. Eventually it caused a huge battle between the two of them. The queens and elders of both didn't like it, so they met and devised a plan to stop the fighting. The plan didn't go so well. All of them jumped into the battle between Stormclan and Duskclan and were all killed, including Rainpaw's mother, Flowerwatcher. Only one of the four elders of Stormclan died because the other three were suffering from whitecough, but they got well soon after. Duskclan were still bitter about that.

After the queens and elders died, the clans worked together to strengthen each other, but then they departed the friendship that had grown soon after. Now, the hostility between the two clans were worse than ever because they thought it was each other's fault their queens and elders died, but they won't go into battle again because of their previous losses.

Rainpaw shuddered as she remembered watching her mother's death. The battle had been in their camp, so she and her brothers were also in danger of being killed; luckily they weren't.

Rainpaw passed the elders' den, and it brought back memories of being trapped in there. After her brothers had gotten their mentors, Rainpaw was sent to the elders' den because she had declined the spot as the medicine cat apprentice. The only thing she wanted was to be a warrior. Nothing else; she had spent two moons there enduring Darkflower's visits and others telling her she would be a great medicine cat until she could stand it no more.

Rainpaw was almost to Loudpaw, Goldenpaw, and Webpaw when something big and heavy tackled her. Of course, everything was big to her. She was the smallest cat in the clan since there weren't any kits. "Ah!" She laid on her side with a great deal of pressure on her other side.

"Ha, you didn't see me, did you?" Runningpaw sneered in her ear. Relief came to her as he jumped off. She hastily jumped to her paws as well.

"You'll pay for that!" She growled. The scent of Sharppaw, Runningpaw's brother, told her he was next to him. She decided to just aim for one and hopefully would be able to fend off both. She ran forward and launched herself at Runningpaw. They tumbled around on the ground, soon accompanied by Sharppaw. Rainpaw was hidden among their fur.

"Hey! You have to go through us before you harm her!" Goldenpaw yowled. He and Loudpaw and Webpaw pulled Runningpaw and Sharppaw off of Rainpaw and began attacking them with unsheathed claws.

"I don't need any help!" Rainpaw yelled, indignantly as she joined in the fight. She heard Sharppaw pin Webpaw down.

"I can't believe it," Sharppaw murmured. "Our own sister would fight against us with these losers?"

Webpaw growled, "Clan becomes before kin, remember that!" She pushed him off with her hind legs and advanced towards him.

"I can't believe you!" A voice cried out.

We all froze as the clan leader entered the scene. "Fighting your clanmates with unsheathed claws? What do you have to say for yourselves?" Silverstar demanded, her fur fluffed up in rage.

"It's their fault!" Sharppaw mewed, pointing his tail at Rainpaw and company. "They started it!"

"Actually, Rainpaw attacked first," Runningpaw added. Sharppaw nodded.

I glared at them. "Runningpaw knocked me over first."

Silverstar flicked her tail to silence us as we started to argue. "I will hear no more," She mewed strictly. "It doesn't matter who started it. It's the fact that you have fought your clanmates. You will _all_ be punished." She swished her tail. "I will decide your punishment later. For now you will carry on with your duties. Sunfur has assigned Runningpaw and Webpaw to go on border patrol today, and Sharppaw and Goldenpaw are to go on a hunting patrol. Loudpaw, you can go bring some fresh-kill to the elders and see if they need anything." She turned to Rainpaw. "You have someplace to go, don't you?"

Rainpaw dipped her head. "Yes, Silverstar." As soon as their leader left, she turned to her brothers. "I better get going." She touched noses with Goldenpaw and entwined her tail with Loudpaw's.

"Be careful," Goldenpaw mewed.

"And have fun too," Loudpaw added, nudging Goldenpaw.

Rainpaw gave them a half-hearted smile. She didn't like new places. Nothing could compare to her watery home. Besides, she always tripped and fell in unknown territory. "Wish me luck," She mewed loudly as she ran over to Darkflower.

"Ready?" Darkflower asked.

Rainpaw nodded, and they headed off. She leapt into the cool water and swam to the other side. She would swim around for a while, but Darkflower would chew her out if she delayed them. She brushed off Darkflower's help to get across. She could find her way across the water without anyone's help. It was her instinct. Her life.

They walked in silence through the wet ground. Darkflower pressed her flank to help guide Rainpaw, but Rainpaw stepped away. She allowed the assistance when they neared the border, and she had tripped and fallen on a stick. Rainpaw picked up the scent of Duskclan as they stopped at the river separating their two territories. As a medicine cat, she was supposed to be neutral about clan rivalries, but she found that hard to do.

Four great rivers separated the four clans. They all crossed together in the middle of the territory, and there was a dry sandbar in the middle of that, where they had gatherings. Rocks made a path to the other side, but Stormclan cats liked to swim to the other side, but Darkflower swept her tail in front of Rainpaw to stop her.

"You don't want to be sopping wet when you meet the others," She mewed a little harshly. She led the way by stepping on the rocks. A Duskclan cat was waiting for them on the other side. Darkflower stepped forward and greeted the cat, "Hello, Nightblizzard. I hope you're well. How's the prey running in Duskclan?"

"Very well, thank you," The tom replied. "It's so nice to have new-leaf back."

Rainpaw stayed behind Darkflower, but she stepped away and laid her tail tip on her shoulder. "This is my new apprentice, Rainpaw." There was a moment of silence. Rainpaw wished she knew what they were doing. It made her nervous because they were probably sharing looks, as if they were judging whether she was fit enough to be an apprentice.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, Rainpaw," Nighblizzard mewed warmly, padding closer to her.

Rainpaw dipped her head respectfully. _Finally? What does that mean? _She wished she could see what the medicine cat looked like. Goldenpaw and Loudpaw always painted a picture in her head. _Oh, well. They can tell me at the gathering_. "It's a pleasure to meet you also," She mewed quietly.

"We better keep on moving, so we don't run out of sunlight," Darkflower mewed.

They began to walk together, and Rainpaw became nervous as they padded at the edge of Duskclan territory, heading to Stoneclan.

Nightblizzard must have sensed her discomfort, for he mewed reassuringly, "Don't worry, Rainpaw. Warriors would never attack medicine cats, as long as we're trespassing for a good reason. There's no other way for us to go to the Moonlog without passing through other clans' territory."

Rainpaw nodded, and they continued. Nightblizzard and Darkflower stopped talking when they reached the river bordering Duskclan with Stoneclan. When they got to the other side, they only had to pad a few tail lengths until they met four cats.

"It's good to see you, Nightblizzard and Darkflower," An old, husky voice mewed in greeting.

"Yes, it is," A gentle she-cat voice added. "How's the prey running in your parts of the forest?"

After they both responded, Darkflower laid her tail tip on Rainpaw's shoulder. "This is Rainpaw, my new apprentice."

Rainpaw dipped her head in greeting.

Suddenly, an enthusiastic apprentice, who smelled strongly of Stoneclan, came bounding over to her and touched noses with her. "Hello, Rainpaw! I'm Leopardpaw of Stoneclan. It's a pleasure to meet you." She got closer to her ear and whispered harshly, almost growling, "You'd better watch your back!" She stood still in front of her for a while. Rainpaw guessed she was trying to figure out something. "Are you blind?" She mewed. "You aren't looking at me." She heard a smirk in her voice as she whispered, so the others couldn't hear, "Ha, they probably had no where else to put you, so they made you a medicine cat to make you feel special. Newsflash, you aren't."

Rainpaw did her best not to flinch and held her tongue. How could she have made an enemy already? _I guess she too found it hard to let go of clan rivalry, _She thought_. _The old, husky sounding tom then greeted her. She learned he was Sparrowfur of Stoneclan. The gentle she-cat was Mousetail of Stoneclan. Her name was Mousetail because of her unusual thin tail that looked like a mouse's.

"We're all excited to have you joining us," A friendly voice mewed as he padded up to her. He was the last cat to meet. "I'm Cloudsky, Sparrowfur's apprentice. If you need anything or want to talk about anything, I'm always here."

Rainpaw was comforted by that. So far, she liked Cloudsky the best. "Did you ever have any doubts about becoming a medicine cat apprentice, or feel like you're supposed to be one, but you weren't exactly happy about it?" She asked when they had started heading in the direction of the Moonlog, which was in Stoneclan territory. Darkflower, Nightblizzard, Moustail, and Sparrowfur were talking in hushed voices while Leopardpaw walked by herself in front of Cloudsky and Rainpaw.

There was a pause before Cloudsky's answer. He chose his words carefully, "I always wanted to be a medicine cat. As a kit, I had seen Sparrowfur help our clan. He was always so gentle and caring, and I wanted to be like that too. To serve the clan in a different way than that of by littermates. A way that led me to understand the different struggles each clan faces.

"Even though I thought this, I didn't feel like I had to be a medicine cat. I did, however, feel like I had to be a warrior. As a kit, I always playfully fought with my littermates and denmates. It was all great fun, and we always gloated about how we'd each be the best warrior ever." He paused before continuing, "I felt like I had to be a warrior because that's what's natural, right? To be a warrior and to love it? I wanted to be a medicine cat though. I had doubts that I was meant to be a medicine cat, but after a long talk with Sparrowfur and Crowstar, I was reassured of who I was meant to be." He laughed. "Our deputy, Waterice, said it was a shame I was a medicine cat apprentice. She thought I would have been the best fighter she had ever seen." He looked down at Rainpaw. "Are you having doubts?"

Rainpaw sighed. "I wanted to be a warrior with all my heart. I _still_ do, but Silverstar won't have it. Stupid blindness. I decided to agree to be Darkflower's apprentice because I was bored doing nothing in the elders' den, and I had a dream from Starclan when I was a kit, but I've hadn't had one since. Is that normal? That's why I don't think I'm fit to be a medicine cat. Plus, I really, _really_ want to be a warrior alongside my brothers. Then I'd be able to prove I'm not weak, and I can catch fish whenever I want!"

Cloudsky laid his tail on Rainpaw's shoulder. "Don't expect Starclan to send you omens and dreams everyday, especially this soon into your training. Sometimes the most a great medicine gets is one or two. That doesn't matter. It just means Starclan sees no need for the clans to need help because they're doing alright. Be patient. Your training has barely begun, but I promise you, your time will come," He reassured her. "As for longing to be a warrior, give that time also. Maybe Starclan and Stormclan need you to be medicine cat for a little while. Who knows? Maybe someday you will prove yourself without meaning to, and Silverstar will grant you your wish to train to become a warrior."

Rainpaw nodded, only a little convinced. She was surprised Cloudsky didn't say anything about her blindness getting in the way. _Maybe he does have hope for me_.

Cloudsky helped her up when she tripped over a rabbit hole; his warning had come too late. "Just think about what I said, especially tonight. Maybe Starclan will clear it up for you as you sleep near the Moonlog."

They had been climbing up a hill when suddenly the ground became smooth and mossy as they descended into a hollow. Rainpaw opened her mouth and let her scent glands take in everything around her. When she asked Cloudsky to describe the place, he laughed and mewed, "Of course."

They were in a hollow scoop like the Stoneclan camp. The hollow scoop looked at if Starclan had reached down and scooped up the earth, forming a hole. There was moss everywhere. Bushes and small trees surrounded the place. There was a tunnel that went down into the ground at the far edge of the clearing that led to a cave. The cave was large enough to fit all the cats, and in it was the Moonlog. The moon log had moss that glowed covering it, making it look like the moon in the sky. Cloudsky told her that all she had to do was touch her nose to the moss and then Starclan would come to her dreams as she slept.

Rainpaw was anxious as she padded through the tunnel. She had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she felt like she was going to suffocate at any minute, though she was smaller than the rest, but Darkflower was in front of her and guided her with her tail. She took comfort by that.

"You're luck you're accustomed to darkness," Cloudsky murmured from behind. "When I first came here, I was scared stiff and thought I would explode."

Rainpaw let out a sighed of relief as a gush of air hit her face when she entered the tunnel. She couldn't see, but she knew the Moonlog was in front of her, glowing luminously as described.

"Rainpaw," Darkflower murmured in her ear. "Welcome to the Mooncave."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

All Rainpaw remembered was swimming in a colossal river, catching a monumental amount of fish, and speaking with Shadepaw. She had wanted to meet her mother, but Shadepaw reassured her, saying she would appear to her when the time was right. It was just a regular dream. She was crestfallen until a strange cat padded up to her. The she-cat looked just like a Tigerclan cat. She was white with black, claw like stripes leading down to her stomach. She had a gentle look in her eyes as she gazed at Rainpaw.

"Hello, Rainpaw," She mewed, dipping her head in greeting. "I am Tigerfeather." She stepped closer to her.

Rainpaw glanced at Shadepaw, who nodded encouragingly, before stepping forward to touch noses with the Starclan cat.

Tigerfeather stood back and stared intently at her. "Danger is coming," She mewed urgently. "Tiger, Lion, and Leopard will come together to cause destruction in the forest. Only the Four can stop them. " Without warning, she turned and ran away.

"Wait!" Rainpaw ran after her, but she wasn't getting any closer. Tigerfeather stayed far away, no matter how fast Rainpaw ran. "What's the danger? What four?"

She woke up with a start, and darkness filled her life once again. She sat up and glanced around her. The other medicine cats were starting to stir also.

Cloudsky padded up to her. "Have a good dream?" When Rainpaw nodded, he mewed, "Did you meet Starclan? I remember when Starclan welcomed me as a medicine cat." His tail swished contently.

Rainpaw shifted uneasily. She never met Starclan. Sure, Shadepaw was there, but she was always with her. Then there was Tigerfeather, the strange Starclan messenger… She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Did you like sharing tongues with Starclan?" Darkflower murmured softly, close to Rainpaw's ear. "Remember, you mustn't tell anyone about the dreams you receive here."

She nodded slowly and followed the rest of the medicine cats out through the tunnel. They mewed goodbyes to the Dawnclan and Stoneclan medicine cats, and Cloudsky touched noses with Rainpaw before departing. Darkflower and Rainpaw walked beside Nightblizzard, Darkflower murmuring something that sounded urgent to Nightblizzard; his response seemed to be confused.

Rainpaw gave up on trying to understand what they were talking about and concentrated on the sounds of the forest; something was wrong. It was unusually quiet like the whole world was holding its breath. Something dreadful and horrible was going to happen. She could feel it stirring deep in her paws.

When they were halfway into Duskclan territory, Nightblizzard left them to walk alone. He usually would walk with them to the border, but he needed to check on a kit who had eaten some deathberries, right away. Darkflower and Rainpaw wished him and the kit well.

Not long after they were left, Darkflower mewed, "Is something wrong? Usually medicine cat apprentices are thrilled with their dreams and ask if they're allowed to tell others about it. Even if they don't ask, there's something in their eyes that tells their mentors they're excited." She paused. "Did you have a message brought to you?"

Rainpaw shook her head. "I told you, I haven't been with Starclan since last time," she lied.

She could hear the frown in Darkflower's voice. "Every cat is graced with the presence of Starclan at the Moonlog," She mewed softly.

"Yeah? Well, maybe I'm different. I told you I'm not meant to be a medicine cat!" She flicked her tail angrily, heat rising inside her. It seemed like she was arguing about this with Darkflower ever since she became her apprentice. She knew her mentor knew the only reason she agreed to be her apprentice was because she wanted to be useful and escape the elders' den. "You should never have chosen me. I know you know I'm not meant to be a medicine cat. You've way too young to have an apprentice. Everyone in the clan knows it. They say the only reason you asked me was because you were sorry I couldn't be a warrior.

"Well, you know what? I don't need your sympathy!" Rainpaw spat. They had stopped walking. "I don't need _anyone's_ sympathy! You have _many_ seasons left until you'd really be ready for an apprentice. What will happen when your _real_ apprentice is born, huh? Are you just gonna toss me away to the elders? Or are you gonna join the elders and have me train the apprentice when I would only have been a full medicine cat for a little while?"

"It's not like that, Rainpaw. Please," Darkflower pleaded. "believe me. I _know_ you're meant to be a medicine cat; deep down you know it too. This is not about sympathy. Not at all. Just give it some time, and you'll speak with Starclan."

Rainpaw didn't seem to be listening. "There's no way I'm meant to be a medicine cat," she continued, her tail swishing, irritated. "Just because Silverstar and everyone in Stormclan don't think I'm fit to be a warrior doesn't mean I'm supposed to be a medicine cat. Do you think every deaf, blind, or crippled cat who is born becomes a medicine cat?"

"Rainpaw, a medicine cat would never suggest for a cat that is wrong for the role to become his or her apprentice. Remember, I didn't force you to be my apprentice. I just suggested it—"

"Yeah, a million times!" Rainpaw shouted at her, halting to a stop. "And _I've _told _you_ a million times that the only reason I accepted was because I wanted to do something useful because just lying in the elders den is boring and makes you useless!"

Darkflower sighed, trying to keep her temper down. "You'll get used to the idea just like you would if you stayed in the elders den because you can't change Silverstar's decision. You know she would if she could. Like you said, at least you're doing something. Sometimes—

"I don't want to continue if the only reason I'm doing it is because I don't want to be useless." Rainpaw glared at her mentor with her sightless eyes. She was tired of her always telling her the same thing, over and over again. "Nothing's ever going to change!" She hissed. "I don't care about you, and I _don't_ want to be a medicine cat!"

"I understand," Darkflower murmured, her voice traveling down, indicating her head was bowed. "I can't force you to do anything you don't want to. I'm sorry."

Rainpaw nodded, still unsatisfied, before speeding off ahead toward the border without her. She was too upset to continue beside Darkflower. As she ran, hoping she wouldn't trip in the unknown territory, she could hear the gentle flowing of the river, signaling she was near it, but a yowling, hissing sound made her skid to a stop. She whipped around and scented Dustclan warriors. Four or five, she guessed; she also smelled fresh blood. Horror clutched at Rainpaw's heart. They were attacking Darkflower.

A gloomy, downcast shadow was casted over and throughout the whole clan. Darkflower was a tragic loss to Stormclan; she was a real treasure to the clan. No other cat was like her. She was kind and carefree, and she knew how to get things done.

Rainpaw had witnessed, actually heard, the death of Darkflower. The five warriors were tearing her to shreds. She didn't stand a chance; she knew she had fought like a warrior. Cowardly Rainpaw had hidden in the bushes until the Duskclan cats left the limp body of her mentor, for she knew that if she had run for help, it would have been too late. Besides, she wanted to be there in her last moments before she left with Starclan. She felt ashamed. Darkflower would have died trying to protect her.

"Then who would be left to take care of the clan?" Shadepaw whispered in her ear.

She shrugged her off. She wasn't a medicine cat apprentice anymore. She had made that clear. She had told Silverstar of this before going to sleep in her nest in the medicine cat den, too tired to retrieve moss for a nest in the elders' den.

"Rainpaw, please reconsider," Silverstar was pleading with her a few days after the tragic loss. Frozenwhisker had come to her that day with a stomach ache, but Rainpaw refused to tell her which herbs to eat, resulting in Silverstar and the clan deputy, Sunfur to get involved. "You're needed in the clan. Please be our medicine cat." She flicked her tail to silence Rainpaw's open jaw. "You may not want to or may not even be meant to be a medicine cat, but you're all Stormclan's got. I know you resigned, but please do it for your clanmates. They'll die without you; no other cat knows what to do if a cat comes back with a battle wound. As soon as a medicine kit arrives, or a cat who wants to learn to be a medicine cat comes to me, please be our medicine cat." Sadness and longing was deep in Silverstar's eyes.

Rainpaw frowned. "I don't even know much about being a medicine cat. How would I heal other and then teach another cat about everything there is to be a medicine cat, who doesn't even know the first thing about healing? It's not going to work."

The silver tabby she-cat sighed heavily. "Starclan will send us a sign, but for now, just do your best, please?"

Rainpaw really didn't want to, but she dipped her head. "Yes, Silverstar." She quickly padded into the medicine cat den to search through the herbs, the majority of them unknown and nameless to her.

As she sorted through the herbs in the roots, she felt a colossal longing grip her heart. She never had to get the herbs all by herself. Darkflower would always tell her what to get or would test her.

Throughout her short apprenticeship, she had resented Darkflower and practically everyone for not allowing her to become a warrior, forcing her to train as a medicine cat apprentice. She never realized how much affection she had grown for Darkflower because of that, but now it was too late. Rainpaw longed for the last words she had told her mentor to not have been full of hate.

She wanted to take it all back, but the deed was done. _Yes, it was_, she thought, unsheathing her claws and scraping at the moist ground beneath her paws, _by those Duskclan cats!_ If it wasn't for the Duskclan cats, she wouldn't be in the medicine cat den alone and clueless. She struggled to push the whole incident and anger at Duskclan aside, so she could concentrate on figuring out which herb to give for a bellyache.

_Think streams and calmness,_ Shadepaw murmured into Rainpaw's ear.

"Yes! That's it!" She suddenly remembered which herb to use. _Of course. How could I not remember?_ Watermint, a leafy green plant, was most common in Stormclan because it was found in streams and damp earth; Stormclan had _tons_ of streams and damp earth. It was so common that every apprentice knew what watermint was and where to find it after just a few days of exploring the territory. The sound and feel of the rivers and marshy land they lived on helped Rainpaw and the rest of the clan remember what it was used for because they soothed them. Because watermint soothed cats' bellies, it helped the clan to know the plant extremely well. _No_ Stormclan would be able to live on any other territory other than their own, and it's not just because they don't know much about catching forest prey.

After she found the watermint, by its strong muddy scent, hidden in a small nest in the old roots, she dashed across the stepping stones and into the clearing. Opening her mouth, she tried to detect Frozenwhisker.

Redstreak and Blazepelt were sharing a fish near the fresh-kill pile. She swished her tail with delight. They were two of the only cats she really talked to because they were her kin. They were the brothers of Flowerwatcher, her dead mother. From what Loudpaw and Goldenpaw had told her, their mother and her brothers appeared very similar.

Flowerwatcher had been a pretty ginger tabby with pure-white stripes and feet. Rainpaw wished she could have looked into her gentle light blue eyes. Redstreak was a handsome dark brown tabby tom with reddish stripes; Blazepelt had a reddish shade of ginger pelt.

Out of the three of Flowerwatcher's kits, Goldenpaw was the only one to have inherited her ginger pelt, though Loudpaw was gray just like their father. It was odd, really, for Stormclan cats to have ginger pelts; it was usually shown in Dawnclan. They were known for it. Stormclan was known for gray, black, white, and light colored pelts; Stoneclan for brown and dusty tan; and Duskclan for dark tabbies and other dark colored pelts. There were sometimes mixes within the different pelts, but they weren't very common. The reason Stormclan had black pelts was that the gray pelts and light tabby or other gray pelts mixed together, creating some black cats.

It was weird that many Stormclan warriors had dark fur. From their first gathering, Rainpaw's brothers had told her that some of the Stoneclan warriors had dark pelts too. _Weird,_ she thought. _No one's ever mentioned it before. Maybe…nah!_ She shrugged the thought away. She couldn't see anyway, so why should she care?

The smell of freshly caught fish and the sound of paws squishing the marshy ground brought her attention to the fresh-kill pile. Swiftfeet, her father, was placing two fish on the pile. Her whiskers twitched. Ever since the Great Battle, Swiftfeet had gone hunting alone at least once a day. Grief suddenly gripped at her when she thought about Flowerwatcher. She and he used to hunt together each day. That's what Hawkears had told her. When she lived in the elders' den, he and Stripetail and Blizzardpelt had told her all about her parents. In return, she reported all the camp gossip by just sitting and listening around. They still did it.

Rainpaw stiffened when Swiftfeet padded over to her. She didn't have to see to know he was narrowing his eyes at her with disgust, but, nonetheless, she blinked in greeting; she still had watermint in her mouth.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Are you still our medicine cat, or do I have to walk around in pain?" Swiftfeet asked, clearly annoyed, for he was flicking his tail impatiently.

Shadepaw, only seen by Rainpaw, pressed her pelt comfortingly against hers, but she sighed. Swiftfeet never understood her. When she was still in the nursery, she figured out that he hated her. He was never proud of her, never cared, and always played with Goldenpaw and Loudpaw because he loved them and not her. He barely even talked to her while she often saw him chatting away and playing with her brothers. The elders and Darkflower had tried to tell her differently, but she would just flick her tail unbelievingly.

He was ashamed of her, that's what it was. He was ashamed that his own kit was small, weak, blind, and could never become a warrior, at least that's what Silverstar and everyone else thought. She'd show them! Her claws dug into the soft ground. It felt as if she had sunk into fresh mud after the rain or into some gentle, soft sand.

"Rainpaw?" Swiftfeet broke her trance. He didn't sound concerned. Only annoyed and impatient like always.

"Yeah?" She meowed, dropping the watermint everywhere. She shook her head mentally to clear her thoughts. "Yes, for now I am a medicine cat."

Her father nodded. "Good. I need something for my paw. I scraped it on something sharp out by the river bordering Duskclan. Knowing them, they probably found it and tossed it over to us," He hissed.

Rainpaw narrowed her eyes. Yes, it _would_ be just like them. Because Stormclan cats' paws are webbed, they're soft, so they get cut easily, making it hard for them to walk on any other territory other than their own. "Show me it," She meowed.

Swiftfeet lifted up his front right paw and flipped it over to reveal a gargantuan sized cut that seemed to have cut his webbed paw in two; blood was continuously seeping out of it.

"Lick it," Rainpaw ordered, for it was the only thing she could think of to do at the moment. Regret twisted though her small body; she could have had a little more than two moons of training if she had accepted Darkflower's offer right away when she was apprenticed and then worked really hard instead of moping around like she had done.

She flicked her tail irritably but brought her attention back to her father. "I'll be right back to help you after I find Frozenwhisker and give her some watermint," she promised. As she padded off, Swiftfeet sat down and began to clean his wound. Shadepaw narrowed her eyes at the gray tabby as she padded away with Rainpaw.

"If you're looking for Frozenwhisker, she's lying on the Scope Rock, Mouse-brain!" Sharppaw sneered. "Duh!"

Before Rainpaw could claw his ears off, he ran to the safety of his mentor, Mosslizard, who was across the clearing. Mosslizard was a loyal Stormclan warrior with quite a temper. She fought as fierce as she spoke when angry or annoyed; she was rarely ever carefree or happy. She was perfect for Sharppaw.

"Don't worry about him, Rainpaw," Shadepaw whispered.

Rainpaw shrugged. She didn't want to get into an argument with Sharppaw while his mentor was around. She just stared at Sharppaw with a glint in her eyes and her head held up high; he had to run to his mentor to escape her instead of facing her like he usually did. She didn't know how he responded, but she picked up her watermint and headed over to the Scope Rock.

The Scope Rock was a gigantic, smooth rock that many cats loved to lay on to sunbath or just scope around the room. The flat top was what made it perfect for just lying around. It would have been the clan meeting place, but the Tall Stump was better. The Tall Stump was a stump of tree with marshy grass all over it; it was hallow, creating a tunnel to Silverstar's den.

"Frozenwhisker!" Rainpaw called from below the Scope Rock.

Shadepaw watched a sleepy Frozenwhisker leap down from the rock. "What is it, Rainpaw?" She asked, her meow was muffled by a yawn. Suddenly, the white she-cat's eyes brightened up. "Ooh, is that watermint?" Shadepaw could tell the she-cat was in pain from her bellyache. Her eyes filled with concern.

Rainpaw gently shoved Shadepaw for making her feel even guiltier for harshly refusing to give Frozenwhisker watermint earlier. "Yes, it is," she meowed before laying them down, so she could chew them up into a poultice. When she was done, she shoved the herbs forward. "Eat them and then go and get some rest. If you take it easy, you'll feel better in no time." She sighed and dipped her head. "I'm sorry I didn't give you it before. It doesn't matter that I don't want to be a medicine cat. I should be helping out my clan because I'm the only one who knows the most about herbs and healing, even though the most I know is about watermint," she meowed the last part bitterly.

Frozenwhisker tipped her head to the side sympathetically. Remembering Rainpaw couldn't see, she lightly placed her tail tip on her shoulder. "It's ok. I know you just miss Darkflower. She was a great cat. The clan will miss her un-halting loyalty and perseverance." When Rainpaw didn't respond, she dipped her head to chew up the watermint.

Shadepaw sighed. "You'll understand someday, Rainpaw."

Rainpaw leapt onto Shadepaw, her paws gripping onto her shoulders. "Now what?"

Shadepaw laughed and ran around, trying to get her off. After awhile, Rainpaw lost her grip and fell onto her side, but she quickly got to her paws. Shadepaw crouched down. "You have great potential, you know. You're capable of _anything_." Pride showed in her eyes.

Rainpaw nodded determinedly. "Yes. That is exactly why I can't be a medicine cat." Before Shadepaw could respond, she added, "Let's battle more. I need to learn more."

"Rainpaw! Rainpaw!"

A sharp voice interrupted Rainpaw's dreams with Shadepaw. She twisted around in her nest, moss covering her more and more.

"RAINPAW!"

She groaned as she got to her paws and climbed up to the dead tree before Darkflower could rip her fur off, but Darkflower wasn't near the tree at all. She wasn't even down by the roots. Grief gripped at Rainpaw when she realized Darkflower was no longer alive. She quickly hid it and climbed down to Swiftfeet, who was waiting for her on the sand.

Swiftfeet flicked his tail irritably. " I've been waiting for you for moons!"

"Sorry," she muttered. No doubt he was here because of his paw again. She had asked the elders if they knew of any herbs for him, but they didn't know, so she had put watermint on it and then cobwebs.

"I need something for my paw," He went on, holding up his paw. "I couldn't do any of my warrior duties yesterday, and now I can't today. The only thing those herbs did for me was to sooth it slightly for a little bit and stop the bleeding. Well, it's started again."

Shadepaw wanted to tell her what to do, but she knew she had to let her figure it out herself. It was how she would grow.

Rainpaw dug her claws into the ground and shook her head. "I have no idea what to do!" Without saying another word, she dashed across the stepping stones and across the clearing towards the Tall Stump. There were soft bushes covering the entrance to her leader's den. Shadepaw gasped when Rainpaw pushed through the bushes.

Standing before them were four cats smelling of Stoneclan, Dawnclan, and Duskclan. They were Nightblizzard, Mousetail, and Sparrowfur and Cloudsky. Silverstar stood in the back by her nest. Shadepaw knew why they were there, but she hadn't until she had entered the den and saw them. _I should have known!_ She glanced nervously at Rainpaw.

"I—I'm—I'm sorry," Rainpaw stammer as soon as she realized four of the medicine cats were there. _Mouse-brain! You _never_ enter unless invited!_ She thought, tempted to claw her face off.

The medicine cats parted to give Silverstar more room. "That's alright, Rainpaw," she mewed. "I'm sure you have something so important that you just couldn't wait to spill it out." Her eyes were filled with amusement as she looked at the small apprentice.

Rainpaw was immediately tongue-tied.

The gentle, silver tabby glanced at the others. "We'll continue our discussion with Rainpaw after she tells me what she wants. Why don't you wait for us out in the tunnel?"

The others dipped their heads respectively before departing; Rainpaw moved over to let them through.

"What's on your mind?" Silverstar meowed as soon as they were alone or as alone as Silverstar thought.

Shadepaw's whiskers twitched nervously, for she knew what Rainpaw was going to say.

Rainpaw took a deep breath. "The only reason I'm being your medicine cat is so our clan won't suffer, but I don't know anything! I've forgotten everything Darkflower told me except cobwebs and watermint, but a newborn kit could tell me that much!" She sighed. "I'm not better than a kit or warrior."

Silverstar sighed and laid her tail on her shoulder. "It's alright. We have a plan that will help you greatly. Before Rainpaw could ask, her leader guided her out to meet the others in the tunnel. She was too curious to complain about being led around like a kit.

"These cats have come to tell me what they've come up with to help us after the most upsetting and sudden death of our beloved Darkflower."

Rainpaw noted the uneasy paw steps from Duskclan's medicine cat, Nightblizzard. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why would _Duskclan_ want to help us?" She meowed suspiciously.

"That's enough, Rainpaw!" Silverstar mewed sternly. "You're a medicine cat. You've got to learn to get along with _all_ clans, just like your own. Especially other leaders, deputies, _and_ medicine cats."

Rainpaw lashed her tail. She knew no other cat would ever dare argue with their clan leader, but she was frustrated and fed up with it all. "This is yet _another_ reason why I'm not fit to be a medicine cat. Don't all medicine cats naturally want peace?"

Cloudsky intercepted before Silverstar could open her mouth to respond. "I'm sorry, Silverstar, but could I explain please?"

She nodded. "Of course. Please."

Cloudsky casted a sorrowful glance at the troubled Stormclan apprentice. "Please listen, Rainpaw. You are the one who Darkflower chose to be the next medicine cat of Stormclan. She knew you were meant and fit for it." He flicked his tail to silence Rainpaw's beginning outburst. "Silverstar has told us that you don't to be a medicine cat, and Darkflower allowed it, but now you are serving your clan because you're the one who knows the most about healing. Well, if you're right about you not being the real medicine cat, then as soon as the right cat is born, you'll train him or her the way one of us will train you. I know you don't want to be a medicine cat, but please do it for your clan. Every other cat is set on becoming a warrior, and you'll never be one. I'm sorry."

Rainpaw dipped her head in defeat. Her claws dug into the marshy ground as she took a deep breath. When she looked up, she meowed, "Ok, fine. Whatever. What's the plan. One of you will train me? What about your own clans?"

Mousetail was the one who spoke. "We had a hard time deciding that. Sparrowfur and I have apprentices, so at first we thought that one of us could leave our apprentices in charge while we come here and teach you, but I wouldn't have much time to do that since Leopardpaw still has _much_ to learn."

"What about Sparrowfur?" Rainpaw suggested. "Surely Cloudsky could take care of Stoneclan. He's finished all his training."

"He may have gotten his full medicine cat name," Sparrowfur's gruff voice sounded. "but he still doesn't know every single technique. Besides, I don't trust him to cope on his own."

Cloudsky nuzzled the older tom in the flank. "It's you I don't trust coping alone." Turning back to her, he meowed, "He's right. Sometimes I forget what the best herb to use. I may have my medicine cat name, but Sparrowfur's still my mentor. I still need him by my side."

"Then how will I be trained?" Rainpaw questioned.

"I had a dream sent by Starclan at the Moonlog the night—the night your mentor died," the black and gray Duskclan cat mewed, stumbling on his words.

Shadepaw glanced at Rainpaw, but she was listening obediently. _I hope you can take this, _she thought to herself.

"I didn't understand what it meant then, but now I do," Nightblizzard continued. "I will be your new mentor from now on."

Rainpaw's eyes grew round and large in shock and dismay.

"Intruders! We're being attacked! Silverstar!" a voice cried out from outside the dark tunnel.


End file.
